RAPUNZEL

Once upon a time there lived a man and his wife. They were going to have a baby after a long time. This made them very happy.

Next door to them lived a witch. She had some lovely vegetables growing in her garden. The wife had a great desire for the Rapunzel leaves growing there.

So, one evening, the husband climbed the wall of the witch’s garden. He quickly gathered some Rapunzel leaves and climbed back over the wall. The leaves were so tasty that the sent him back a second and third time for more.

When the man climbed up the wall the third night, he saw the old witch standing before him. He felt very scared. “How dare you climb over into my garden and steal my vegetables!” she said.

“Forgive me!” said the main. “My wife is going to have a baby, and she wanted these Rapunzel leaves very badly.” “Is that so?” said the witch, with a mean look in her eye. “Well, I will allow you to take the leaves if you agree to give me the child when it is born.

“Without thinking, the man agreed.

After a few months, a lovely baby girl was born. The witch took her away and called her Rapunzel.

Rapunzel grew up into a beautiful girl. She had very long golden hair which she wore in a braid.

When Rapunzel was twelve years old, the witch locked her up in a tower which had no stairs. It had no door either, and only one little window near the top. When the witch wanted to enter the tower, she would call out:

“Rapunzel! Rapunzel!Let down your hair.”

Then Rapunzel would let her braid hang out of the window and the witch would climb up with its help.

Rapunzel was very lonely in the tower, so she spent her time singing. One day, a Prince was riding through the woods. He heard Rapunzel’s sweet voice. He stopped and listened. He wanted to go into the tower, but he could not find a door.

As he rode around the tower, trying to find a way to enter it, he saw a witch coming The prince hid himself behind a tree. The witch called out: “Rapunzel! Rapunzel! Let down your hair.”

Then Rapunzel let down her long golden braid and the witch climbed up into the tower. ‘So that’s how I can climb up into the tower,’ thought the Prince.

When the witch left, the Prince went to the tower and said: “Rapunzel! Rapunzel! Let down your hair.”

Then Rapunzel let down her braid and the Prince climbed up. The Prince fell in love with Rapunzel. She too fell in love with him. He asked her to marry him and she agreed happily.

The witch got to know about the Prince’s visit. She was very angry and she cut off Rapunzel’s braid. Then she took her to a desert and left her there.

When the Prince arrived the next day and called out to Rapunzel, the witch let down the cut braid. The Prince climbed up the tower. As soon as he reached the window, the witch pushed him down. The Prince fell into some bushes below. The thorns pierced his eyes and he became blind.

One day the Prince heard the sweet voice of someone singing. It sounded like Rapunzel’s voice. He followed the sound. It took him to Rapunzel. Rapunzel saw the Prince. She hugged him and cried with joy.

Two tears fell on the Prince’s blind eyes and he was able to see again.

He took Rapunzel to his kingdom. There they got married and lived happily thereafter.

Other Stories: Snow White, Hansel and Gretel, Sleeping Beauty